My Old Feathered Friend
by runia24
Summary: Takes place during “Home Is Where the Start Is.” The night after Ash’s welcome home party, he gets reacquainted with someone he almost forgot. Oneshot.


"I'm going to Sinnoh tomorrow," Ash Ketchum told himself. After his Pikachu has lost convincingly to Gary's Electivire, his mind was instantly made up. Still, maybe he could stay a little bit longer…no, the life of a trainer was the life for him. Yes, he's miss his hometown, Professor Oak, Tracey, and even his own mother, but he'd get over it….right?

The young trainer bolted out of bed, unable to get any sleep. The upcoming journey left him restless, but instead of just lingering around the house, he put on a coat and headed outside.

The stars were unusually bright tonight, perhaps as a sign of things to come, the trainer thought to himself. He looked around. He could barely make out the lab that sat on the top of a hill.

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew. It wasn't much, but it was enough for Ash to snap out of his little reverie. "What am I doing out here?" he wondered out loud, but before anyone could answer, an even sharper gust of wind blew, threatening to knock Ash on his behind.

Ash could sense something was coming his way, but what? It felt…familiar almost, like it was someone or something he once knew. He strained his eyes looking around for something in the darkness, but nothing that could've made those gusts came in his sight.

"Maybe I'm just imagining things…or maybe this is all a dream and this is the part where the boogieman gets me," he laughed to himself. He knew he was awake, but he knew something was watching him as well, but with Pikachu sound asleep on his bed and no other Pokemon with him, he was essentially defenseless.

"I guess I should go back inside," but before Ash could even turn around towards his house, the wind picked up again, this gust easily the most powerful of them all, forcing the young trainer to the ground.

"Alright no more funny business," he mumbled. "Okay, whoever you are, show yourself!" he shouted into the darkness. He looked around, seeing something for a split second. It was in the air.

"A…flying Pokemon?" he questioned. He didn't know any people who could fly, or create random gusts of wind for that matter.

Whatever it was, it finally heard Ash, and it dive-bombed its way towards Ash. The trainer panicked, frantically running towards his house. "Me and my big mouth," he grunted. Unfortunately for him, he tripped on a rock and fell down.

"Why does that always happen at the worst possible time!" he yelled angrily, the Pokemon just a few precious seconds away, but just as it was going to swoop down and pick up Ash, the Pokemon lifted its wings, stopping on a dime just a few feet in front of Ash, who had long since curled up in a ball in fear.

The flying Pokemon landed gracefully no the ground and stared at Ash, nodding and…smiling?

Ash looked up, wondering why nothing was happening. He turned around and saw the Pokemon in front of him, and his worried look turned to a grin just as quickly as the Pokemon showed itself.

"It's you…Pidgeot," Ash simply said. Pidgeot trilled in affirmation.

"Oh wow, it's been years hasn't it? How have you been?"

Ash had the fully-evolved flying type stay around Pallet Town, guarding the local tribe of Pidgey and Pidgeotto against the rival flock of Spearow and Fearow. Pidgeot had done a good job of doing so. Both groups had been relatively peaceful to each other, despite a few fights every now and then over territory. Despite the years, Pidgeot looked like it had never left Ash.

Ash wanted to ask so many questions, tell Pidgeot so many stories, but with him leaving early tomorrow, he needed a good night's sleep. Bad things happen when you oversleep…most of the time.

Few words were exchanged between the two, mostly they were just glad they were reunited after so long, even though it would only be for a few hours.

Suddenly, Pidgeot lowered its wings and beckoned to Ash. Pidgeot was big enough to carry humans on its back.

With little hesitation, Ash climbed on the big bird, and the two took off.

Almost instantly, Ash found himself several thousand feet in the air, Pidgeot perhaps going just a bit too fast, not that Ash seemed to mind. He was holding on just fine, laughing. It felt good to hear his old trainer laugh. It had been way too long. For a while, it felt like Ash would completely forget about him, even if he was the second Pokemon Ash had ever caught.

His mind went back to that day. Back then he was still a Pidgeotto, just having some worms for breakfast, when this trainer came along. He had challenged the bird Pokemon to a battle, wanting to catch it. After all, Pidgeotto were strong, dominating over the bug types that seemed to thrive in the area.

Speaking of bugs, the trainer had sent out a Caterpie. Now he wasn't sure if the trainer was challenging him to a battle or feeding him. Nevertheless, he attacked and eventually beat the Caterpie with no real effort.

Of course, what came next was completely unexpected. A Pikachu came into his view. Pidgeotto knew that electric types had the clear advantage over flying types, but he still had the advantage of experience.

Still, he took one too many thundershocks, and fell over, completely paralyzed. The next thing he knew, he was caught.

However, he warmed up to Ash fairly quickly. He wasn't the brightest bulb, sure, but he deeply care about his friends, which included his Pokemon. Pidgeotto would make Ash proud, doing whatever he was told to do, whether that be battle, clear up smog from Team Rocket's Koffing, or help find the path when Ash, Misty, and Brock constantly found themselves lost, even with a map!

Still, they were some great times. He was glad he got caught, maybe he should've done it sooner.

"Remembering old times, buddy?" Ash suddenly asked. Pidgeot nodded, quite surprised Ash knew exactly what he was doing.

"So was I…we had some great times. It was so much traveling around Kanto with you, Pikachu, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, even Charizard," he laughed, which made Pidgeot happy. The two flew around Pallet Town for a while longer, not saying a word, just enjoying the moments they were sharing together.

"I'm…sorry," Ash suddenly said, a tear streaming down his face. This greatly confused Pidgeot. His trainer was just happy a few moments ago, what happened?

"I shouldn't have waited so long to see you again. I forgot you before I left for Hoenn, the Battle Frontier, and then I almost did it again tonight. I'm leaving for Sinnoh tomorrow, and…" he stopped talking when Pidgeot turned back to look at Ash, his eyes telling all. He didn't care if he almost forgot, the important thing was that they were together again, if eve for a little bit, and that he was proud to serve as Ash's Pokemon. The bird Pokemon's loyalty shined through and through, something that Ash was always grateful for, even if he never mentioned it out loud.

"Pidgeot…thank you. Thank you so much, I promise I will never forget you again."

A few moments later and the two landed just outside Ash's house. No lights were on, which meant everyone still thought Ash was still sound asleep.

"Well," Ash began as he lifted himself off Pidgeot and walked towards the front door. "I guess I'll see you when I get back from Sinnoh. Take care…of you and the Pidgey and Pidgeotto. They're counting on you…" Ash ran up to Pidgeot and gave the big bird a big hug, which Pidgeot returned as best he could with his wings. Neither wanted this moment to end, but they knew it was time. The let each other go, and this time Ash didn't look back.

"I'll see you after I get back from Sinnoh, okay?"

Pidgeot squawked happily after hearing this. Ash smiled and quietly went inside, reaching his room.

He was about to crawl into his bed, but he noticed something on his pillow. It was a feather…it was Pidgeot's feather.

"But how did…" Ash ran over to his window, but saw that Pidgeot was already in flight, just a shadow across the dark horizon.

"Good night, my old feathered friend."


End file.
